Drive chain



July 8,1930. F, L, MOI-45E; 1,769,960

DRIVE CHAIN Filed March J 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR.

MKWM

Wv MW ATTORNEYS F. L. MORSE July 8, 1930.

DRIVE CHAIN Filed March 1, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

BY W4? 1 MW ATTORNEYS I F. L. MORSE DRIVE CHAIN July 8, 1930.

5 Sheets-sheaf; 3

Filed Mar ch l, 1928 7! 2NVENTOR.

W 7 4m BY v a w/lw ATTORNEYZS F. L. MORSE July 8, 1930.

5 Sheets-Sheet 4 I INVENTOR.

MK M

Filed March 1, 1928 ATTORNEYS F. L. MORSE DRIVE CHAIN July 8,1930.

Filed March 1, 1928 v 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY;

Patented July 8, 1930 FRANK L. MORSE, OF ITHACA, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO MORSE CHAIN COMPANY, OF ITHACA, YORK, A CORYORATION OF NEW YORK DRIVE 01-m n Application filed March 1,

This invention relates to chain s used in the transmission of power, particularly to chains of the loose jointed or free jointed type, that is, chains in which the pintle on which a link turns is loose in the pintle holes of the ad-' restoring; (2) where the holewas tilted it was on a curve whose radius was substantially a pitch length, and as no means was provided to control the excessive drop, premature engagement of the next link resulted; the

joints have had too much clearance or freedom in the inward or downward direction, which I have discovered is undesirable in such joints, while a limitation of action to less than the natural drop will improve their operation the wear has tended to be excessive.

The object of the present invention is to overcome these di'fiiculties and provide an improved type of loose jointed chain which will be more satisfactory in service, and the means for accomplishingthis are set forth in the following specification and are illustrated in preferred form inthe accompanying drawings, wherein: j e I f Fig. 1 is a side view of a portion of a chain and sprocket, the end washers being removed and the pintles being shown in cross-section to better illustrate the action.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail view of the joint in Fig. 1, showing therela'tion of the parts when the chain is straight Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the relation of the parts when the chain is bent.

Figs. 4 and 5 illustrate a modification in the straight and bent positions, respectively.

Figs. 6 and 7 show another modification, in the straight and bent positions, respective- 1928. 'serinno. 258,376.

ly,having a bushing on the shifting side of the pintle. t

Figs; 8 and 9 are a further modification, in which a bushing is used onthe turning'side of the pintle, the joint being shown in the straight and bent positions, respectively.

Figs. 10 and 11 illustrate another modification having a bushing on the shifting side of the pintle, and a somewhat different for-1110f camming action. V

Figs. 12 and '13 show another modification havingbushings on both the. turningand shifting sides of the pintle, the joint being shown in the straight and bent positions, re= spectively.

.Referring, first, to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, a sprocket 1 is shown as engaged by a chain composed of successive links 2, 2, etc., each linkjbeing generallycomposed of a number of arch shaped link plates by'wliich the chain may be built up to any desired width in the ordinary manner of silent;

chains. While" the invention is shown'as applied to chains of the so-called silent type,

it will be understood that itis also applicable to other types of chain. As each link is picked up or engaged by a tooth of the sprocket 1,.that link begins to rotate with the sprocket, and so that link begins to turn or bend relative to the free links forming the straight or free part of the chain. As generally constructed, to permit this bending action, a joint is provided having some form of pintle part 3, such as connecting the links and allowing each link to turn relative to its succeeding link. 'In addition to'this turning movement, in some oints there is enough stares PATENT? orif ce 1 clearance to permit the joint to slip or slide upward or downward within the pintle holes, i. e.-, transversely to the lineof pull of the chain. This transverse slipping motion has been "found in both the rocking friction type of joints and in the turning frictiontype of joints, and especially in the latter types ataccomplish "the results" contemplated by 3 me, for,whi1e it might aid one -linkin encovered that it'is essentialthat no clearance gaging smoothly, itimpaired the engage ment of the next link, so thatcertain'bene' ficial results were not toi beattained. In

orderitoattain'adesired action, I have disbe a1lowedbel0wthe; lower or shifted posi tionof the. pintle; in fact," instead of having clearance-or afree 'drop'to thelowest position, the hole shouldbebuilt up or shortened so as to interfere or stop the shift of the pintle when the drop is only partially completed. This "eliminationof bottom clearance and shortening of the 'pintle hole will cause, part of the action to occur as though aboutalcenter forward of the joint and part ofthe' action as thoughgaround' ,the joint ritsel'fhi li such order. and degree as to smoothoutthe action'ofengagement.

" Inthetchain shownin Fig.1 thenp intle part" is free i'to'shift slightly in the pintle j hole 4 in therear end of each link "plate 2, the'pintle holeA beingsufliciently short so 1, that the pintle 3 normally strikes ,thefbottom V of the hQlB 41QuIli1g the engaging process, v thatisQbefor the bending action of thejoint fis fully completedij lt willqbe understood,

thatif clearance were allowedlat the bottom when. the chain is bent, the drop or shift would ,besubstantially equal to the pitch radi s" multiplied by the .versine of the angle between twot et v toithe amountkthechain would 'drop'it it 1 were turning about the joint next preceding cthe joint that is shift-ing whereas, under thei present invention, the ,drop is about 11, orJsubs'tantially equiv alent halfi that amount,or, at least, very much less, inasmuch as the shifting pintle 3 is stopped by'the pintle hole 4 in the engaging 1 process, leaving no, clearance at the I end 7 of l [The pinue hole 14, has a siide r that 1 provides a bearing "face corresponding to the contour ofthe cooperating f aceof the pintle, heresh'own straight, this sided being in-, clined .at an anglefto aperp'endicularto the i line of pull, that is, the side 4 is not at right angles to the linefofpulLbut is .tilted hackward, as indi ated by the angle a inFigkQ, 7 this angle a beingmorethan 2 and less.

than 10?, preferably nearer the smaller amount, When the chain is straight as, s own; injFig; 2, oriat' the right in l, K the chain tension,maintainsithe pintle'part 3" atthetoprof 'thefpintle hole, since, in that position, the tension force "has a component upward onf-the straight inclined face 4C Wh'e nfalinlr having this straight inclined j face this engaged byatooth of the sprocket,

it begins to irotateiztbout the center of the a sprocket and the angularity of the race .2-

relative to the, straight or free part oi the;

chain changes, the, face; 4" first becoming perpendicularito the line of pull and then simultaneously. a

r 1,769,9eo

tiltingthe other way so that a downward component, of the tension fforce develops, which causes the pintle 8 to move toward the sprocketuntil it meets the bottom" of the helezt. During the remainderof the process of engagementthe pintle 3 is atthebottom otthe holed and the bendingor turning of the joint is occuring on the forward or rounded face of the pintle part 3. These may. occur I shifting .and turning actions One of the disadvantages of shifting joints ofthe slidingfriction type is the wear which occurs both on the rounded or forward face whiclrpermits'the bending and on the rearward or straight face which permits the shifting. In orderto overcome this and minimlze the wear, I employ a substantlally half round'shaped cross-section in the pintle part 3; instead'of the usual round or nearly a:

completely round pin. This, halt round; shapergrves a bearing-face ofthe' straight Side about double that of former types, and on the rounded side permits about twice the radius of curvature of former types, while using a pintle pm of substantially thesame longitudinalcross section. This also brings the center of articulationcloser to thepoint of contact of theflin'k on the driving sprocket.

ltfwillbe noted that this half round shape :55.

has the center of articulationdisplaced from the center of the head of the, link and is thus better adapted to fit into the configuration otthe-end of the link than around or substantiallyround pintle, and gives a stronger joint without weakening the metal between the pintle hole and the outside faces of the link plates. The rounded side of the seinicircular pintle hasv about the same wearing surface as a round pintle of substantially twice the size,'as the wear of a round pintle in'practice is concentrated chiefly on a rather limited ar'c on'the forward side; in other words, the half round pintle approximates the po'rtion of a round pintle that in any and having a limited motion downward, and

also having bearing surfaces of an increasedradius of curvature, g v ng an lncreasedcapacity to resist'wear, withzthe center of ar- CICUlittlOll displaced from the center of the headof the link.

, In Figs. 4 and 5 a modification is shown in which the substantially straight or shifting side of the pintle part 3 ison the left or forward side in the direction of'motion, and the rounded or turning side of the pintle angle; to a perpendicular; a line i of pull whenthechainissstraight. V

2. Ina power transmission chain, the combination of overlapping llnks, p ntles connecting the. links, t h e :pintles h'aving one face upon Which the connecteld v.link' may turn and another jbearing faceuponlwhich the adjacentIconnectedylink mayshift trans- 'versely to; the lineofpull, the angle'of hearingv of saidla'st mentioned bearing face be inginclined to the'line of pull so as to maintain a transverse component of iathe tension tilted to the line ofpull when the, chain is force on: the pintle andunder tension.

v ,3. In "a power transmission 1 chain, the Combination of overlapping vlinks, pintles connecting said linksj,:the pintles having one face upon which the connected link may turn and} another face upon which the" adjacent connected, link-, may shift transversely to the line of pull, s'aidglast mentioned face being straight. i I a 7 .4, In apoWer-transmission chain',,thlecom-. bin atlon of overlapping links havingqpintle holesfpintles in said holes and connecting the links, thepintles having oneface upon which thec'onnected' link may turn and another face upon'W-hich the adjacent connected link may shift transversely to the line ofpull, the pint-1e holes being formedtopermit a limited transverse shift of the pintle but to stop said transverse shift before the full running bend of thechain is completed.

3 -51 Ina power transmission chain, the combination of'overlappinglinks having pintle i the connectedlink may turn and another face holes, pintles'invsai-d holes connecting the links, the pintleshaving one face upon which upon which the adjacent connected link may shift transversely to the line of pull, said pinwhen the is straight upon which theiconnected-link may turn anotherface upon which the adjacent link may shift transversely to the line of pull, and

bushing means cooperating with said pintle tially the width of-the'chain} V j 8. i In a power transmission chain, the coinbination'of overlapping links, pintlescon} and extending throughthe links for sulostanv necting the links,thepintles having one face upon Which the connected link may. turn and another face upon which the adjacent connected link may shift transversely to the line of pull,'and cainmeans operated by ,the bending of thechain for moving the pins 'tle'on its shifting face.

V 9. Ina" power transmission chain, the

cembination'of overlapping links having pintle holes, pintles in said holes and connecting thelinks, the pintles having one face uponwhich the connected link may turn and another face upon which the adjacent connected link may shift transversely torthe line of 'pull, the pintle holes being formed with cams adapted to shift the pintle transversely.

'lO IIn a power transmission chain, the combination of overlapping links having pintle' holes, pintlesrinsaid holes and connectingthe links the pintleshaving a substansigned myname.

c, FRANK 'L. MORSE.

" tle holes being formed with suflicient clear v'ance :to permit a transverse 'IIlQtIOD, said v clearance being limited so as to leave nocleari v '45 ancein thedirection of bending when the full running bend of the chain is completed, Y

6'. In a power transmission chain, the combination of overlapping links having'heads forming teeth, ,pintle'sf extending through said headsand connecting said links, the pin tles having one face, upon which the connect-i ed links may turn and another face upon ivhich'the adjacentconnected link may shift transversely to theline of pull, thecenter of articulation of the pintle being displaced to one-side of the centerof' the headv but ar ranged so the inetalof the" head is substantially equallydistributed on both sides 'of it,

whereby the effectivebearing area of the pintle may be substantially "increased without tmaterially'Weakeningthehead. V

7. In a power'transmission chain, the comblnatlon of overlapping links,pi ntles connecting said links, the pintles having oneface lUU 

